The beginning of the Capuchin Lay Volunteers for our missions

The first meeting of the coordinating group for the new project of lay volunteers for our missions, especially for those places where there have never been lay collaborators, was held at our General Curia in Rome from September 24-25, 2016.

This initiative is being promoted by the Order to offer people from our communities as well as others the possibility of being part of some of our missions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The order recognizes the importance of bringing many people into the services, such as health, education, development projects, and of course evangelization, that are offered in the missions throughout the world.

For those who are interested in being part of our missions, a time of preparation is being offered according to the different destinations and languages, as well as the accompaniment of the Capuchin friars who will welcome people into our fraternities. In order to help other get to know well the local reality and to integrate oneself into service with our Capuchin brothers, stays in mission are offered from one to three months.

The coordination group has planned the first destinations will be Burkina Faso and Ghana in Africa and Assam in northeast India. First they will visit these places to study well the different works that can be done and how to coordinate with the Capuchin friars present in these missions. In the first semester of 2017, they hope to see the first volunteers already there in mission. They hope that before long they will be able to offer other destinations as well.

The needs of the Capuchin missions are many, and with the cooperation of friars and lay volunteer much can be done. This project is also a response to the call of the Pope to go to the poorest, and a response to the last Plenary Council of the Order, which says at number 58, Let us value and promote the participation of the lay faithful in the life of the Church (missions). But above all this is an opportunity to offer the Capuchins' gifts and an experience that can enrich and transform, and which is a grace!

To keep in contact for all the updates and preparations, you can write to [email protected] Mission is waiting for you!